Fake Princess Episode 4 Recap
> Fake Princess Recap
At a gambling den, Li Che, feigning inexperience and concern for his luck, sent Chang Le away. He proceeded to lose game after game, pulling out a gambling guide and questioning why he couldn't win. After he gambled away all his funds, Chang Le returned to his side, immediately recognizing the dealer was cheating. To restore her husband's honor, Chang Le then challenged the dealer herself.
Meanwhile, Li Heng dragged the Seventh Prince to Master Pang’s treasure exhibition to view a calligraphic work by Master Huaisu. The Seventh Prince, initially reluctant and complaining about being dragged from his leisurely pursuits, was eventually dragged there by Li Heng. Upon arrival, Li Heng spotted Gongsun Mo and, fearing his mother’s disapproval of his presence, instructed the Seventh Prince on what to say, tasking him with critiquing the calligraphy.
Under Li Heng's subtle lip-reading guidance, the Seventh Prince spoke eloquently, impressing the audience. Just as Master Pang was about to award the calligraphy to the Seventh Prince, Zhu Yan alighted from her sedan chair to debate him. Li Heng was immediately captivated by Zhu Yan, and once again impressed by her talent and eloquence as she debated on stage. Chang Le proved to be a highly skilled gambler, quickly winning against the cheating dealer.
When the dealer, desperate to recover his losses, offered to bet his hands and feet, Chang Le refused. Instead, she proposed a unique wager: if she won, he would be blacklisted from all casinos in the capital and swear off gambling forever. The dealer, with bloodshot eyes from gambling, agreed. Chang Le, now acting as the banker, easily won.
She then subtly advised the dealer to abandon his dishonest ways before facing karmic retribution, a warning for which he expressed profound gratitude for sparing his life. Later, Li Che confided to Gongsun Mo that Liu Yuyao was proving to be far more formidable than anticipated, rendering psychological torment ineffective. He acknowledged they needed to devise new strategies to secure a divorce. Across town, Lord Liu was furious over Wang Dongjie's failure and capture by the Crown Prince.
He instructed his son to find a trustworthy individual to take over Wang Dongjie's business, emphasizing that such minor affairs should not trouble the Empress. He also learned that Chang Le had played a significant role in the case, suspecting she had allied with the Crown Prince. Lord Liu decided to "remind" her of her people from the village at the upcoming Tacit Competition, probing her loyalty.
His son suggested sending a letter to summon her, but Lord Liu deemed it too obvious, preferring to confront her at the competition where Chang Le was sure to be present. In a separate scene, Lord Wei diligently performed his daily checks on General Shen, who had been under house arrest for fifteen years.
After initial pleasantries and a pointed remark from General Shen about the Emperor’s constant surveillance, Lord Wei risked imperial wrath to deliver a bottle of wedding wine from Li Che. He conveyed Li Che’s well-wishes and confirmed the success of his marriage to Liu Yuyao, an act deeply appreciated by General Shen. Back at the Crown Prince’s mansion, Chang Le complained to Nong Ying about the lengthy preparations for the Tacit Competition. She then accidentally bumped into Li Che.
When Li Che's planned partner, Gongsun Mo, withdrew due to illness, Li Che reluctantly invited Chang Le, who was quite curious about the event, to join him. Meanwhile, Li Heng was lost in thought, gazing at a portrait of Zhu Yan. The Seventh Prince burst in, startling him, urging him to attend the Tacit Competition and revealing that Zhu Yan would be present.
Despite the Empress's strict rules, the lure of seeing Zhu Yan prompted Li Heng to immediately join the Seventh Prince. At the competition grounds, Li Che explained the rules of the obstacle course to Chang Le, including the requirement for participants to be connected by a red ribbon and navigate blindfolded. Chang Le, wary of Li Che’s potential for teasing, took the initiative to blindfold him instead.
She inquired about the "Tacit Arrow" and the history of the competition, learning it was created by Empress Shen to foster connections between young men and women, with rules later changed to allow any pairing due to declining female participation. Chang Le expressed regret that she hadn't known earlier, wishing she could have teamed up with Nong Ying, but Li Che informed her it was too late. Li Heng, meanwhile, arrived just in time to register.
Spotting Zhu Yan without a partner, he quickly abandoned the Seventh Prince and proposed that he impersonate her missing cousin, Chen Qinglan, to form a team with her. The Seventh Prince attempted to reveal Li Heng's true identity, but Li Heng swiftly interjected, introducing himself as "Huang," a distant relative. During the competition, both Li Che’s and Li Heng’s teams skillfully navigated the obstacles, guided by their partners.
Lord Zhu observed his daughter, Zhu Yan, paired with Li Heng, a sight that puzzled him. Both teams successfully obtained the Tacit Arrows, leading to an intense archery showdown that ultimately ended in a tie. Afterwards, everyone relocated to the imperial palace for a celebratory banquet. Li Heng received widespread praise for his performance, and Zhu Yan finally learned his true identity.
Li Heng attempted to bestow his imperial prize upon Zhu Yan as a gesture of their shared victory, and in turn, learned that she was a daughter of the prominent Zhu family. In a private conversation, Lord Zhu advised Zhu Yan about the two prevailing political factions in the court, one supporting the Crown Prince and the other Li Heng.
He made clear his allegiance to Li Che and cautioned his daughter against developing feelings for Li Heng, urging her not to waste her emotions on matters that might prove meaningless. Separately, Lord Liu summoned Chang Le, confronting her about her involvement in Wang Dongjie’s downfall and hinting at the safety of Shitou by presenting his book. Chang Le, displaying a sharp wit, asserted that her actions were solely aimed at gaining the Crown Prince’s trust to protect Shitou.
Lord Liu, momentarily disarmed by her cunning, dropped the subject but warned her to keep their private meeting a secret. He privately mused that Chang Le was indeed much cleverer than Yuyao. At the imperial banquet, the Emperor celebrated the princes’ victory and remarked on their coming of age, expressing a desire for grandsons.
When asked if he had a favored lady, Li Heng glanced at Zhu Yan, but, recalling the Empress’s strictures, tactfully replied that he was too young and focused on state affairs to consider romance. The banquet was dramatically interrupted by the appearance of Liu Yuyao’s mentally unstable mother, who called out for her daughter. Lord Liu and his son frantically begged the Emperor for clemency, explaining her condition. The Emperor, having heard of her plight, pardoned her.
Liu Yuyao’s mother, mistaking Chang Le for her own daughter, engaged her in conversation. Chang Le played along, though she subtly remarked that her feet were larger than Liu Yuyao’s, a detail that further highlighted the deception. As the banquet resumed, Lord Zhu proudly suggested that Zhu Yan perform a dance.
When it was revealed that the court musician was indisposed, Liu Yuyao’s mother unexpectedly volunteered Chang Le to play the qin for Zhu Yan, a suggestion that caused Lord Liu to nearly choke on his wine.
